1 Samuel 14

1 Samuel 14:1

2. Saul’s Rash Vows (Chap. 14)14:1-15 Seeing his father’s inactivity, Jonathan slipped away with his armorbearer to attack the Philistines. This was not a brash stunt or a foolish suicide mission. Jonathan was looking to God to provide a great victory. It did not matter that there were only two of them. Jonathan’s confidence was: “For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” Jonathan’s faith would be rewarded.

God showed him that he would have success when the Philistines would invite him up, perhaps thinking he was a deserter. As soon as the Philistines said “Come up to us,” . . . Jonathan climbed up to their garrison, and soon laid twenty of their number in the dust. As the survivors fled, God sent an earthquake which caused great confusion in the Philistine camp. The faith evidenced by Jonathan (v. 6) and his armorbearer (v. 7) was all God needed to deal with the Philistines. Too bad that Saul’s foolishness lessened the fruits of victory! 14:16-23 Saul’s watchmen noticed the confusion and reported it to him. When the roll was called, Jonathan and his armorbearer were missing. Saul promptly called for Ahijah the priest to bring the ark so that he could inquire of the Lord. (The NKJV margin, following the Septuagint, reads ephod for ark. The ark was probably still at Kirjath Jearim.) But Saul quickly changed his mind when the tumultuous noise among the enemy increased; he told the priest to withdraw his handi.e., to stop seeking the Lord’s will (v. 19). He rallied his forces, convinced that he did not need divine guidance to know that the Lord was delivering the Philistines into his hands. Others also noticed that God was fighting for Israel.

Those Hebrews who had previously defected turned on their Philistine masters, and even the men . . . who had been hiding in the mountains of Ephraim found new courage to join the battle. Everyone wants to fight when victory is almost won, but where are the Jonathans to make the initial confrontation? 14:24-30 To ensure speedy success, Saul had rashly forbidden his soldiers under oath to eat anything until evening, when the battle was over. He sealed his order with a curse. Hunger caused his men to become fatigued and thus put them at a disadvantage. Not knowing of his father’s edict, Jonathan ate some honey to regain his strength. When he was told about the curse, he mourned that Israel’s triumph was to be hindered by such a stupid order. 14:31-42 Saul’s restriction not only angered Jonathan, but it endangered the people as well. When the fighting was over, they rushed on the spoil, killed the livestock, and ate it without draining the blood, in violation of Lev_17:10-14 and Deu_12:23-25. When Saul heard this, he rebuked them and set up a large stone where animals were to be brought and slain properly. He also built an altar, his first. In his zeal, Saul wanted to pursue the Philistines into the night, so he again talked to the priest about consulting God. But God did not answer him. This led Saul to believe that there was sin in the camp. As was done in such cases, the lot was brought out, and to Saul’s surprise, Jonathan was taken, that is, shown to be the guilty one by the way the lot came out. 14:43-46 Jonathan explained what had happened, and Saul, to save face, ordered him put to death. But the people showed more sense than did their king. Hadn’t Jonathan . . . worked with God to bring this great victory? How could God be displeased with him for breaking Saul’s curse, when He had used him so mightily in battle? No, Jonathan would not die. Thus the hero was spared an undeserved death. But while Saul was engaged in such unnecessary nonsense, the Philistines fled. For the second time his lack of wisdom had diminished his victory. 14:47-52 Verses 47 and 48 summarize some of Saul’s military victories. The next three verses give details concerning his family. The last verse is a fulfillment of Samuel’s prediction that the king would draft Israel’s valiant sons into military service (1Sa_8:11).